Official 2015 Soccer Thread

[MAD]

Is the audio working on the Pensky comments? Doesn't seem to be. I'm eager to hear what that call on Santorio was all about.

I haven't seen the video on the comments by Brian yet.

 

[MAD]

SECOND-HALF COMEBACK FALLS SHORT IN LOSS TO MIZZOU​

Despite being down a player for the entire second half, the Vols made a valiant comeback attempt that fell just short at Missouri.
View attachment 101704​

A valiant second-half comeback attempt fell short for the Tennessee soccer team on Sunday afternoon in a 3-1 loss to Missouri.
The loss was the first for the Vols on the road this season after going 2-0-4 in their previous six road contests.

FINALWalton Stadium // Columbia, Mo. // 346Tennessee17-3-5, 3-3-2 SEC Missouri37-4-4, 5-2-1 SEC
1st Half 2nd Half Final
Tennessee 0 1 – 1
Missouri 2 1 – 3Scoring PlaysGoal by Reagan Russell - 5:33 Goal by Jessica Herrman (Assisted by: Allie Hess ) - 39:05 Goal by Amy Neal (Assisted by: Anna McClung ) - 48:02 Goal by Candace Johnson - 75:07 TEAM STATS
Tennessee Missouri
Shots 9 17
Shots On Goal 4 9
Saves 6 3
Offside 1 1
Corners 3 4
Fouls 5 15PENALTIES Gabby Santorio (UT) - 38:21 TEAM (UT) - 48:10 TEAM (UT) - 64:46 Hise, Rachel (MU) - 73:19
The Tigers (7-4-4, 5-2-1 SEC) jumped out to an early lead with a goal by Reagan Russell on the first shot of the game by either team. Russell’s shot from the edge of the box dropped in perfectly between Julie Eckel’s outstretched hand and the crossbar to give Missouri a 1-0 lead in the 6th minute.

Tennessee (7-3-5, 3-3-2 SEC) caught a tough break in the 39th minute when Gabby Santorio was sent off after receiving a red card, leaving the Vols with only ten players for the remainder of the game.

Less than a minute later the Tigers doubled their lead on a strike by Jessica Hermann that deflected in off the right post.

The Volunteers had a tough time generating chances and were only able to muster two shots in the first 45 minutes.

Even down a player, the Vols came out firing and cut the lead to one early in the second half on Amy Neal’s fifth goal of the year. Neal took a pass from Anna McClung and dribbled around Missouri goalkeeper Kristen Rivers before slotting it into an open net to make it 2-1. Neal is now tied for the team lead with McClung in goals with five. The junior from Los Alamos, N.M., also led UT with three shots on the afternoon.

Eckel kept Tennessee in the game with an incredible save from point-blank range in the 56th minute after a cross from Russell found Kaitlyn Clark all alone from six yards out. Clark also hit the post a few minutes later.

The Vols best chance to tie the game came in the 71st minute on a header by Anna Bialczak that was punched over the crossbar by Rivers.

Missouri regained its two-goal lead in the 76th minute after Jessica Johnson was taken down in the box by Susan Ferguson. Candace Johnson converted the penalty kick for the Tigers to make it 3-1 with just under 15 minutes to play.

Despite being down a player, the Volunteers posted seven shots and earned all three of their corner kicks in the second half.

Sunday’s game marked just the third time this season that Tennessee has allowed multiple goals in a single game. The other two were losses to No. 14 Auburn and No. 12 Florida.

The Vols return to Regal Stadium next weekend for their final two home games of the season. They host Ole Miss on Friday at 7 p.m. and Kentucky on Sunday at 5 p.m. for Senior Night.

 

[VolsFan-TX]

Any update on the send-off? If she was shown a red card for running into the referee, then that was truly a horrible call and one that needs to be submitted to the league office. While watching on tv, you could hear the coaches arguing with the ref that she did not kick the ref. If that was his call, then he should be banned from officiating more college games. He was too quick to give the red and did not ask his ARs for their view. On top of that, he gave out at least two yellow cards to players on the bench later in the game.

 

[armchair]

Any update on the send-off? If she was shown a red card for running into the referee, then that was truly a horrible call and one that needs to be submitted to the league office. While watching on tv, you could hear the coaches arguing with the ref that she did not kick the ref. If that was his call, then he should be banned from officiating more college games. He was too quick to give the red and did not ask his ARs for their view. On top of that, he gave out at least two yellow cards to players on the bench later in the game.

Pensky needs to take this to the SEC office and have that official sacked--unless Santorio did something to merit a red that no one has been able to discern. I don't think I've ever seen a incident like that at any level. Truly bizarre. She didn't run into him on purpose--she had fallen down in the middle of the field, got up, turned and started running with her head a bit down, and the guy happened to be right in front of her. The only other possibility is that she said something horrible to him, but even that should merit a yellow and not a red, unless she really made a vicious remark while passing him. Santorio did seem a bit wound up in this game, she was coming forward aggressively to intercept or head balls--and missing them, I might add.) I mean, the bottom line is that you can't disadvantage a team like that without serious reason. It's hard to know and we weren't able to hear Pensky's comments after the game. (Maybe somebody in the communications department can shed light for we fans?)

As Cat Whitehill pointed out, the official could have given Ferguson a red card for her horrible tackle on the missouri player in the box in the second half, which resulted in a penalty kick and ended any chances UT had of getting away with a tie. But he didn't.

All that said, the Vols were not good in the first half, before the red card, at all. Loose defensively, outside backs getting isolated and beaten, feeble in attack. Weak crossing, poor corners in the 2nd half. Pensky's 4-3-3 and direct style does not work well enough. We get the ball a lot but give it away cheaply, do not create enough quality chances--starting 3 midfielders have meager 10 shots on goal, total, all year (15 games). Onward...

 

[MAD]

TENNESSEE VS. #13 OLE MISS​

The Vols will look to earn their first win over a ranked opponent this season against No. 13 Ole Miss.
View attachment 101825​

The University of Tennessee women’s soccer team is eager to get back to work this Friday as they welcome No. 13 Ole Miss to Regal Soccer Stadium at 7 p.m.
Friday night’s contest can be seen live on SEC Network +/WatchESPN with Roger Hoover handling play-by-play duties and Tori Beeler Watson serving as the analyst.

The Big Orange will try to bounce back from its first road loss of the year after falling to Missouri, 3-1, last Sunday in Columbia. Junior forward Amy Neal scored the Vols’ lone goal against the Tigers, tying her with Anna McClung for the team lead with five.

The No. 13 Rebels will be the fourth ranked opponent Tennessee has faced this season and represent another opportunity for the Vols to pick up a signature win. UT is 0-2-1 against ranked teams this season after tying No. 7 Virginia Tech and losing to No. 14 Auburn and No. 12 Florida.

Tennessee enters Friday’s match sitting in a tie for eighth in the SEC standings with 11 points while Ole Miss is currently tied for fourth with 15 points. There is a log jam atop the standings with three teams tied for first with 16 points, and there is only a six-point gap between the top three and the current No. 10-seed LSU.

Mississippi carries a three-game win streak into Friday’s game, including back-to-back shutouts of ranked foes South Carolina and Auburn last week. The Rebels are led by freshman standout CeCe Kizer, who ranks third in the SEC with 11 goals this season.

The Volunteers have been very successful against Ole Miss, posting a 13-3-2 all-time record against the Rebels. UT has not lost to Mississippi since 2003, posting a 10-0-2 record in the past 12 meetings, including five straight wins in the series. The Vols defeated the Rebels, 3-2, in double overtime of last year’s regular-season finale.

Friday’s game will feature contrasting styles as Ole Miss relies heavily on its offensive production, which ranks fourth in the conference with 2.12 goals per game. On the other side, Tennessee has been led by its stingy defense all season long, leading the SEC in goals allowed (11), goals against average (0.68) and shutouts (nine).

The first 250 fans through the gates on Friday will receive a free Goal Pink t-shirt and access to the free tie-dye station. Donations for Dunkin’ Donuts benefitting Susan G. Komen Knoxville will also be accepted and other pink-themed festivities will be held at the game in support of breast cancer awareness month.

The Vols are back in action on Sunday evening for their final regular-season home game this season as they host Kentucky at 5 p.m. Tennessee’s three seniors - Julie Eckel, Susan Ferguson and Gabby Santorio - will be honored before the game.

View attachment 101826View attachment 101827​

 

[MAD]

Wear PINK to Regal Stadium THIS Friday (Today) for the Vols Annual GOAL PINK game!

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View attachment 101908​

 

[MAD]

Gameday has arrived! Big one tonight as the Vols host #13 Ole Miss at 7 p.m.!
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[armchair]

Well, I thought before this game against Ole Miss that if form held, we'd lose 1-2. Close. We lost 0-2 to a team that certainly doesn't wow you with their talent, though they do have a couple of very good players--but is very composed and seems very well coached. Ironically, UT was better in run of play for the first 20 minutes of the first half, and dominated possession in the second half--but Ole Miss converted two of its middling six shots while we had 15 shots and yet only really tested their keeper once and could not score a goal. That is the same old story with this team. We do not have the players, coaching and chemistry needed to convert possession into quality chances and goals.
This has been a consistent problem with this team for the last three years. We pressured, we had a lot of the ball, we got the ball into the box--but Ole Miss is a good, team defensively and the Vols just can't really make it happen in attack.

Pensky finally saw the obvious and changed the three-man midfield that he's started most of the year, which had been very ineffective. What took him so long? He started Bialczak at midfield tonight in place of Baldwin (who has athleticism, pace issues) and it was the best move the coach has made all year. (Why he played Baldwin the last 25 minutes of the game, down a goal, I don't know--makes no sense.) Bialczak looks a little inexperienced as a midfielder--but she is a great athlete and in tonight's game was the threatening center mid that UT has been lacking all year.She was UT's best player by a mile. She was all over the field, making runs, playing a good ball in to Neal that was our best chance of the night. Unfortunately, Pensky waited too long to change his midfield this year, which probably needed an overhaul three games ago and, IMO, is still not right. Jennings got the start at centerback tonight in place of Santorio who was suspended because of her red car, and it was good for her to get some PT as she probably will be in that spot next year.

Trying to create more in attack, Pensky also started athletic freshman Gouner at forward tonight. She seemed to do OK but might be a better option in midfield. I'm not sure Pensky has got the right people in the right positions yet. Outside back is an issue too. This team struggles mightily to score goals--and yet Marcano continues to stand on the sideline. She's had more quality shots on goal this year from around the box than anybody--a real weakness for UT--and yet has played very little. I'd like to see her playing more as a forward with McClung and Neal, moving Gouner to midfield. The bright side is that Bialczak gave the attack some much-needed spark; now, the Vols need to be more creative and clever and find space around the box for quality shots--and goals!

 

[MAD]

Well, I thought before this game against Ole Miss that if form held, we'd lose 1-2. Close. We lost 0-2 to a team that certainly doesn't wow you with their talent, though they do have a couple of very good players--but is very composed and seems very well coached. Ironically, UT was better in run of play for the first 20 minutes of the first half, and dominated possession in the second half--but Ole Miss converted two of its middling six shots while we had 15 shots and yet only really tested their keeper once and could not score a goal. That is the same old story with this team. We do not have the players, coaching and chemistry needed to convert possession into quality chances and goals.
This has been a consistent problem with this team for the last three years. We pressured, we had a lot of the ball, we got the ball into the box--but Ole Miss is a good, team defensively and the Vols just can't really make it happen in attack.

Pensky finally saw the obvious and changed the three-man midfield that he's started most of the year, which had been very ineffective. What took him so long? He started Bialczak at midfield tonight in place of Baldwin (who has athleticism, pace issues) and it was the best move the coach has made all year. (Why he played Baldwin the last 25 minutes of the game, down a goal, I don't know--makes no sense.) Bialczak looks a little inexperienced as a midfielder--but she is a great athlete and in tonight's game was the threatening center mid that UT has been lacking all year.She was UT's best player by a mile. She was all over the field, making runs, playing a good ball in to Neal that was our best chance of the night. Unfortunately, Pensky waited too long to change his midfield this year, which probably needed an overhaul three games ago and, IMO, is still not right. Jennings got the start at centerback tonight in place of Santorio who was suspended because of her red car, and it was good for her to get some PT as she probably will be in that spot next year.

Trying to create more in attack, Pensky also started athletic freshman Gouner at forward tonight. She seemed to do OK but might be a better option in midfield. I'm not sure Pensky has got the right people in the right positions yet. Outside back is an issue too. This team struggles mightily to score goals--and yet Marcano continues to stand on the sideline. She's had more quality shots on goal this year from around the box than anybody--a real weakness for UT--and yet has played very little. I'd like to see her playing more as a forward with McClung and Neal, moving Gouner to midfield. The bright side is that Bialczak gave the attack some much-needed spark; now, the Vols need to be more creative and clever and find space around the box for quality shots--and goals!

I love reading your post game report, I learn so much about our team.

 

[MAD]

VOLS FALL TO OPPORTUNISTIC REBELS​

Tennessee held No. 13 Ole Miss to just six shots, but the Rebels found a way to take advantage of their limited chances in a 2-0 win.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQYmt4NBbOQ[/youtube]
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ATqXm-2dY4[/youtube]
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymEFgJaVo1I[/youtube]​

The University of Tennessee women’s soccer team fell to No. 13 Ole Miss, 2-0, on Friday night in front of a crowd of 1,442 at Regal Soccer Stadium.
The Rebels (12-3-2, 6-3 SEC) got goals from Jessica Hiskey and freshman standout CeCe Kizer to pull out their fourth straight win.

Despite the loss, the Volunteers (7-4-5, 3-4-2 SEC) were able to control possession for most of the game and more than doubled the Rebels’ in shots, 14-6. Nine different players recorded a shot for Tennessee, including two each for Rylie O'Keefe, Susan Ferguson, Emily Morrow, Anna Bialczak and Anna McClung.

The Vols came out with a lot of energy and had one of their best starts this season, keeping the Rebels’ high-powered offense in check. Ole Miss didn’t record its first shot until the 33rd minute thanks to a stout performance by the Tennessee back four.

”I thought our first 20 to 25 minutes was very good … and then I thought we lost a little bit of composure, lost a little bit of an edge and that led to a corner kick and we didn’t attack the ball,” head coach Brian Pensky said.

Unfortunately, the Rebels were able to break through with a goal off a corner kick in the 34th minute to break the deadlock. Hiskey rose above everyone in the middle of the box and headed one home past Julie Eckel for a 1-0 lead.

It looked like the Big Orange might draw even with a couple of shots early in the second half from McClung and O’Keefe, but Ole Miss goalkeeper Marnie Merritt was equal to the task. She finished the game with five saves as the Rebels posted their third consecutive shutout.

Kizer gave the Rebels some breathing room in the 77th minute, beating Eckel from about 20 yards out with a perfect strike under the cross bar.

Tennessee’s best chance to get on the board came in the 84th minute when Amy Neal was able to get on the end of a cross in the box, but Merritt was there again for Ole Miss to make a great save.

With the loss, UT dropped back-to-back games for the first time this season and fell to 0-3-1 against ranked teams.

The Vols will have a chance to end their two-game skid on Sunday when they welcome Kentucky to Regal Stadium for Senior Night. Tennessee will honor its three seniors, Eckel, Ferguson and Gabby Santorio before the game, which will begin at 5 p.m., and can be seen live on the SEC Network.

 

[MAD]

TENNESSEE VS. KENTUCKY​

The Vols wrap up their regular-season home slate on Sunday as Kentucky visits Regal Soccer Stadium for Senior Night.

View attachment 102042​

The Volunteers welcome Kentucky to Regal Soccer Stadium for Senior Night on Sunday evening at 5 p.m.

Pete Pranica (play-by-play) and Jordan Angeli (analyst) will be on the call in a game that can be seen live on the SEC Network/WatchESPN.

Julie Eckel, Susan Ferguson and Gabby Santorio will be honored before the game for Senior Night.

The Big Orange will be looking to break a two-game losing streak after falling to No. 13 Ole Miss, 2-0, on Friday night.

Kentucky (9-5-3, 3-4-2 SEC) will be looking to snap a losing streak of its own, as the Wildcats have lost three straight, including a 2-1 setback to No. 16 Auburn on Friday.

Sunday’s showdown will have huge implications on seeding for the SEC Tournament, as both the Vols and Wildcats enter the game tied for ninth in the conference with identical 3-4-2 league records.

The Vols (7-4-5, 3-4-2 SEC) will also be hoping to snap a three game losing streak to the Wildcats. The all-time series is even at 12-12 with UT’s last victory over Kentucky coming back in 2011.

The game will feature two of the top defensive teams in the SEC as the Volunteers and Wildcats rank first and second in the conference in shutouts with nine and eight, respectively.

Look for Eckel to have another solid game in goal for Tennessee, as she has a chance to set a couple of milestones on Sunday. The Cordova, Tenn., native needs just two stops to become the program’s all-time leader with 326 saves and will also become the career games played leader among goalkeepers at Rocky Top with 80. An Eckel shutout on Sunday evening would also give her the program record with 32.4 career shutouts.

The Wildcats have a very balanced scoring attack that features four players with double-digit points. Courtney Raetzman leads the team with seven assists and 13 points while Zoe Swift and Michaela Dooley are tied for the team lead with four goals apiece.

It will be $1 Night again for Sunday’s game, as fans can purchase hot dogs and drinks for only $1 throughout the game. The first 100 kids will also receive a free ice cream sundae as part of our Soccer Sundaes promotion.

Tennessee caps off its regular season on Thursday, Oct. 29 with a trip to South Carolina to face the Gamecocks at 7 p.m. on SEC Network +/WatchESPN.

 

[MAD]

View attachment 102058

 

[armchair]

You know you're not having a good year when the focus of your promotional efforts is your keeper!

 

[MAD]

The Vols three seniors reflect on their careers at Tennessee.
View attachment 102066

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oM261Qd9ygo[/youtube]
Three Tennessee seniors will take the field at Regal Soccer Stadium for the final time tonight as the Volunteers host Kentucky for Senior Night.
Goalkeeper Julie Eckel and defenders Susan Ferguson and Gabby Santorio have provided major contributions and left their marks during their time at Tennessee. Let’s take a look at some of the highlights from their careers at Rocky Top.

Julie Eckel

Eckel will go down as one of best goalkeepers in program history. The Cordova, Tenn., native led the Vols to back-to-back NCAA tournament appearances as a freshman and sophomore and will leave Tennessee with a handful of program records. Eckel is already the program’s career leader among goalkeepers in games started (77), minutes played (7,211) and save percentage (.822). She also needs only two more saves to pass Ellen Dean (325) and one more shutout to overtake Vanessa Phillips-Bosshart (32.0) for the all-time records at Tennessee. Eckel also ranks second all-time at UT in goals against average (0.87) and third in victories (44) heading into tonight’s match against the Wildcats.

Susan Ferguson

Ferguson has proven to be one of the most consistent and versatile players for the Vols over the past four seasons. She has played multiple positions during her career and has been a fixture in the Vols’ starting 11 over the past three seasons. Ferguson has appeared in (76) and started (55) more games than any other active Tennessee field player. The Arlington, Va., native has scored three career goals and posted six career assists for 12 total points. She has been a staple on Tennessee’s back four this season, starting every game while helping lead the Vols to an SEC best nine shutouts.

Gabby Santorio

Santorio has been an anchor in the middle of Tennessee’s back line, starting 37 of 38 games over the past two years at center back. She has appeared in 60 games while logging 48 starts during her four seasons at Tennessee and has two career goals, four career assists and eight career points. The Schenectady, N.Y., native has helped the Vols record 34 shutouts over the past four years, including an SEC best nine this season.

In the above video by VFL Films, Eckel, Ferguson and Santorio reflect on their careers at Tennessee and what it has meant to don the Orange and White.

 

[BMvol27]

Anyone know if Hannah Wilkinson will be allowed another year of eligibility?

 

[armchair]

Wow: what a game against Kentucky. The bad new is that a game that the Vols dominated ended in a 1-1 tie. We should have won it as, for perhaps the first time ALL YEAR, the team created a number of quality scoring chances and really was far superior in run of play. The problem this evening was that we didn't finish well. M. Flynn, who along with Gouner was a bit of a surprise starter at forward, played an amazing game and tied it in the second half with a strike from distance that one probably only makes once in 10 or 15 tries. Wonderful. She later had a golden chance to win the match in the first OT, when Morrow sent a beautiful free kick into the box--but instead of heading the ball, as she should have, Flynn just stuck out her leg and met the ball with her thigh. Opportunity missed. Not long after that, another good cross landed at A. Bialczak's foot in the box: had she stopped the ball and then shot, she would have scored; instead, she tried to one-time it and futzed it out of bounds. Earlier, in the second half, Flynn hit the crossbar on a shot that also could have won it. Marcano--who finally got some playing time after a month wasted on the bench, made a good run and had a good chance to score--but she got under her strike and sent it over the net. The entire team played hard and well, but we just have to finish--it is finishing that gets you results. Poor finishing gets you loses and ties, of which the Vols have had too many.

The bad news is that this team may not even make the 10-team SEC tourney. I think we're now tied with Kentucky at 11th. We now probably have to beat a good South Carolina team away to get into the tourney--and we haven't beaten a good team all year. I'm not exactly sure of the standings, but I think we'll be out if we don't win. And we're almost certainly not going to make the NCAA. We don't have a single quality win all year.

The good news is that we're a better football team than we were two/three/four weeks ago. Pensky has put his best athletes on the field, and the difference is noticeable. Switching Bialczak from forward to center midfield has transformed the Vols. A great athlete, Bialczak was greatly under utilized at forward. At center mid, she is getting the ball a lot, playing box to box, and using her wonderful pace and athleticism to push the ball forward. Thanks to her, we are pressuring the other team down the middle of the field whereas before we were always playing defense anytime we played a halfway competent opponent. And she will get better; I don't think she has all that much experience at midfield. When she develops more chemistry with her midfield mates and forwards, we might have something.

We will try mightily to beat South Carolina, but Pensky should also be thinking about next year, as I'm sure he is. It seems likely that Jennings will replace Santorio at the crucial centerback spot--a move he needs to get right. Who replaces Ferguson at right outside back is another key decision. I figured Gouner for that spot, but the coach might want to keep her at forward--hard to say. She has some qualities that Neal, for all her good work and goals, doesn't have. I think Pensky realizes that we simply need to start creating more in the attacking half while maintaining good defensive play. I frankly think the coach screwed up by not playing Marcano more. She has skills, she has put far more shots on goal, per minute of playing time, than anyone on the team--and yet after some impressive early-season play in limited minutes--pretty much got benched on a team that really struggles to get the ball on net. Strange. I believe that had she gotten some of the minutes some of her freshman mates have gotten, we'd be a better team today. Kupritz was also good today and should get better if she learns to play with her head up a bit more. We need her physical play, though she's a bit bull-in-china-shop at times.

All you can really do is try steadily to get better. Some needed changes were initiated late, but we do seem to be getting better. We need to try and steal a result at South Carolina and go from there. But a great and encouraging effort from this team tonight.

 

[armchair]

To answer your question BM, I don't think Wilkinson has any more eligibility left. The NCAA granted her another year /this year/. I'm not sure if they did that because of something related to her transfer to UT or whether it had to do with her being injured two years ago, during her first year with the team. (She has had knee problems every year she's been here.) The university petitioned for an extra year for her and that petition was granted. Can we petition for yet another year, given that she didn't play at all this year? I'm not sure.Maybe we can petition, but I think it is pretty rare for the NCAA to grant two extra years. I haven't heard anything definitive from the athletic department.

 

[MAD]

FLYNN'S EQUALIZER LIFTS VOLS TO DRAW ON SENIOR NIGHT​

Tennessee scored in the 80th minute to earn a 1-1 draw against Kentucky on Senior Night.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xfLlREvQmU[/youtube]
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjDRLJxPv9I[/youtube]
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8vGBPPcJJs[/youtube]
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVeZeZv2B6s[/youtube]​

Tennessee redshirt freshman forward Meghan Flynn scored a late equalizer to help the Vols earn a 1-1 draw against Kentucky before a crowd of 1,503 on Senior Night at Regal Soccer Stadium.
Redshirt senior goalkeeper Julie Eckel made five saves and broke two Tennessee records on the night. The Cordova, Tenn., native became the all-time saves leader (329) and took over the top spot in career games played (80) for a goalkeeper, passing Ellen Dean in both categories.

The Volunteers (7-4-6, 3-4-3 SEC) put together one of their finest offensive performances this year, setting a season high for shots in an SEC game with 26, including eight on goal.

"I thought we were fantastic from the outset," head coach Brian Pensky said in regards to his team's offensive performance.

However, for the third straight game the Vols found themselves in an early hole after surrendering a quick goal. Kentucky (9-5-4, 3-4-3 SEC) took a 1-0 lead in the ninth minute on a goal by Payton Atkins, who pounced on a loose ball in the box and found a way to sneak it past Eckel and a crowd of Tennessee defenders.

That turned out to be the only goal of the first half despite nine shots from UT, including three on goal.

The Big Orange continued to pressure the Wildcat's defenders throughout the second half, narrowly missing on a couple of opportunities. Ariel Kupritz had three straight shots saved by Kentucky goalkeeper Katelyn Jensen to start the half and finished with a game-high five shots on goal for the night.

The Vols finally broke through in the 80th minute thanks to a highlight-reel goal by Flynn, her second of the season. The Arlington, Va., native took a pass from Anna Bialczak down the left side and hit a laser from the top left corner of the box that found the top right corner of the net to tie the game at one.

Just moments later, Flynn nearly won the game for Tennessee, but her shot from the right side of the box rattled off the cross bar and out with just under two minutes remaining in regulation.

Flynn had another near miss in the first overtime period after a great service into the box from senior defender Susan Ferguson, but directed her shot just wide.

The Vols outshot the Wildcats, 5-3, in overtime and 26-14 for the game, but were unable to find the winner. With the draw, UT snapped a three-game losing streak to Kentucky and ran its all-time record on Senior Day to 15-4-1.

The race for the last four spots in the SEC Tournament will come down to the final game of the season as Tennessee, Kentucky, Vanderbilt and Georgia now sit in a four-way tie for eighth place in the conference standings. The top 10 teams advance to the tournament that begins on Monday, Nov. 2 in Orange Beach, Ala.

Tennessee concludes its regular season on Thursday with a trip to South Carolina to take on the 17th ranked Gamecocks at 7 p.m. ET on SEC Network +/WatchESPN.

"Thursday is the biggest game of our season so we're just going to train all week, get ready and put them away on Thursday," Flynn said.

Tennessee Vs. Kentucky - Soccer Box Score Link
University of University of Tennessee Official Athletic Site - Women's Soccer

Tennessee Vs. Kentucky - Photo Gallery Link
http://www.utsports.com/view.gal?id=185140

 

[MAD]

Looking at Julie Eckel's defining moments - ESPN Video
Tennessee goal keeper Julie Eckel overcomes tragedies to lead the Volunteers on the field.
Looking at Julie Eckel's defining moments - ESPN Video

 

[MAD]

To answer your question BM, I don't think Wilkinson has any more eligibility left. The NCAA granted her another year /this year/. I'm not sure if they did that because of something related to her transfer to UT or whether it had to do with her being injured two years ago, during her first year with the team. (She has had knee problems every year she's been here.) The university petitioned for an extra year for her and that petition was granted. Can we petition for yet another year, given that she didn't play at all this year? I'm not sure.Maybe we can petition, but I think it is pretty rare for the NCAA to grant two extra years. I haven't heard anything definitive from the athletic department.

I'm hoping the reason that she wasn't honored for senior day was because she is coming back.

 

[MAD]

Wow: what a game against Kentucky. The bad new is that a game that the Vols dominated ended in a 1-1 tie. We should have won it as, for perhaps the first time ALL YEAR, the team created a number of quality scoring chances and really was far superior in run of play. The problem this evening was that we didn't finish well. M. Flynn, who along with Gouner was a bit of a surprise starter at forward, played an amazing game and tied it in the second half with a strike from distance that one probably only makes once in 10 or 15 tries. Wonderful. She later had a golden chance to win the match in the first OT, when Morrow sent a beautiful free kick into the box--but instead of heading the ball, as she should have, Flynn just stuck out her leg and met the ball with her thigh. Opportunity missed. Not long after that, another good cross landed at A. Bialczak's foot in the box: had she stopped the ball and then shot, she would have scored; instead, she tried to one-time it and futzed it out of bounds. Earlier, in the second half, Flynn hit the crossbar on a shot that also could have won it. Marcano--who finally got some playing time after a month wasted on the bench, made a good run and had a good chance to score--but she got under her strike and sent it over the net. The entire team played hard and well, but we just have to finish--it is finishing that gets you results. Poor finishing gets you loses and ties, of which the Vols have had too many.

The bad news is that this team may not even make the 10-team SEC tourney. I think we're now tied with Kentucky at 11th. We now probably have to beat a good South Carolina team away to get into the tourney--and we haven't beaten a good team all year. I'm not exactly sure of the standings, but I think we'll be out if we don't win. And we're almost certainly not going to make the NCAA. We don't have a single quality win all year.

The good news is that we're a better football team than we were two/three/four weeks ago. Pensky has put his best athletes on the field, and the difference is noticeable. Switching Bialczak from forward to center midfield has transformed the Vols. A great athlete, Bialczak was greatly under utilized at forward. At center mid, she is getting the ball a lot, playing box to box, and using her wonderful pace and athleticism to push the ball forward. Thanks to her, we are pressuring the other team down the middle of the field whereas before we were always playing defense anytime we played a halfway competent opponent. And she will get better; I don't think she has all that much experience at midfield. When she develops more chemistry with her midfield mates and forwards, we might have something.

We will try mightily to beat South Carolina, but Pensky should also be thinking about next year, as I'm sure he is. It seems likely that Jennings will replace Santorio at the crucial centerback spot--a move he needs to get right. Who replaces Ferguson at right outside back is another key decision. I figured Gouner for that spot, but the coach might want to keep her at forward--hard to say. She has some qualities that Neal, for all her good work and goals, doesn't have. I think Pensky realizes that we simply need to start creating more in the attacking half while maintaining good defensive play. I frankly think the coach screwed up by not playing Marcano more. She has skills, she has put far more shots on goal, per minute of playing time, than anyone on the team--and yet after some impressive early-season play in limited minutes--pretty much got benched on a team that really struggles to get the ball on net. Strange. I believe that had she gotten some of the minutes some of her freshman mates have gotten, we'd be a better team today. Kupritz was also good today and should get better if she learns to play with her head up a bit more. We need her physical play, though she's a bit bull-in-china-shop at times.

All you can really do is try steadily to get better. Some needed changes were initiated late, but we do seem to be getting better. We need to try and steal a result at South Carolina and go from there. But a great and encouraging effort from this team tonight.

Great write up armchair.

I have a question, does the SEC get two automatic bids to the NCAA Tournament, one for winning the SEC regular season and one for winning the SEC Tournament?

 

[tbwhhs]

To answer your question BM, I don't think Wilkinson has any more eligibility left. The NCAA granted her another year /this year/. I'm not sure if they did that because of something related to her transfer to UT or whether it had to do with her being injured two years ago, during her first year with the team. (She has had knee problems every year she's been here.) The university petitioned for an extra year for her and that petition was granted. Can we petition for yet another year, given that she didn't play at all this year? I'm not sure.Maybe we can petition, but I think it is pretty rare for the NCAA to grant two extra years. I haven't heard anything definitive from the athletic department.

Unless the rule has been changed, I'm pretty sure that they can petition the NCAA for a medical redshirt for this season. I think its more up to if she wants to apply for the redshirt or if she just wants to move on. I remember a football player at a FBS school a few years ago that got 2 extra years due to injuries and got injured in a game in his 6th year and decided not to apply for another year even though he could have petitioned for and likely would have got a 7th year.

 

[armchair]

Mad: I tried to look up the answer to your question but couldn't find the answer easily. That said, I think the /tournament/ winner does get an automatic bid. I recall hearing that during the tournament last year. I don't know if the regular-season winner gets an automatic bid--but it doesn't really matter as the top regular-season teams are /sure/ to get a bid. I think the SEC had at least 9 and I want to say 10 teams in the NCAA last year. It's hard to believe that we weren't one of them, and may very well not be one of them again this year. I mean, seriously, we can't get in the top ten of the conference?

The last week will be interesting. We are among four teams apparently tied for 8th place. Two will get in the SEC tourney, two will not. I'm not sure what the tiebreaker rules are--worth finding out. If it is head-to-head, then we beat georgia and tied vandy and kentucky. So if head-to-head is first tiebreaker criterion, you'd have to go to a second--and I don't know what that would be. Georgia plays florida at home. That will be a tough game for georgia. Georgia has won only 5 games all year--but they've got four SEC wins. (We've only got 7 wins total.) Vandy plays at Ole Miss. Tough game for vandy as Ole Miss is on a huge roll--they beat texas a&M today. And then kentucky plays lsu (4-4) and we play @ south carolina. So the four contenders for the last three spots all have tough matches. It's almost certain that one or more of the four is going to lose and be out. A tie could get us in assuming one of the other three teams loses. South Carolina will be tough--a winning SEC record but they've struggled a bit in the last half of the season.

The conference is interesting. Florida is the most talented team, Ole Miss is playing with tremendous confidence. After that you've got maybe three second-tier teams and then maybe seven teams bunched together--UT among them. Few great teams but everybody is of course super competitive and the coaching seems very solid. It isn't a league with a lot of top-in-nation polish, not this year. Most every game is close and it really comes down to who has some people who can finish and put a ball or two into the net. Auburn completely outplayed georgia today and lost. Ole Miss had only six shots against us but put 2 in the net while we had some 14 shots and did not score. Today we dominated possession and had a whopping 26 shots--but only 8 were /on goal/ and of course we only scored 1 goal. The Vols need to put a higher percentage of their shots /on goal/-- and finish better. Have to convert when we have a chance. We looked like a decent football team today, next to last game of regular season!

 

[armchair]

I think the conference tourney winner gets an automatic bid. The regular season top finishers effectively get NCAA bids. If we were to win the tourney, we'd get in the NCAA--but that would be a near impossible task because we'd have win four games, I think, against tough competition in a compressed period.

Thursday will be interesting. Apparently four contenders for the last three spots in the SEC tournament--and all have tough opponents. A tie might get us in as the odds are high that least one of the four will lose. We will want to be aggressive but not too much so as you leave yourself vulnerable to counterattack--which is what happened on the second Ole Miss goal.

 

[MAD]

I think the conference tourney winner gets an automatic bid. The regular season top finishers effectively get NCAA bids. If we were to win the tourney, we'd get in the NCAA--but that would be a near impossible task because we'd have win four games, I think, against tough competition in a compressed period.

Thursday will be interesting. Apparently four contenders for the last three spots in the SEC tournament--and all have tough opponents. A tie might get us in as the odds are high that least one of the four will lose. We will want to be aggressive but not too much so as you leave yourself vulnerable to counterattack--which is what happened on the second Ole Miss goal.

Thank you so much for the explanation, Thursday is going to be interesting, I sure hope we are one of the 10 teams to get in the SEC tournament.